2024 Triumph Daytona 660 Review | First Look
Following up on the success of Triumph’s other middleweights, including the Trident 660 roadster and the Tiger Sport 660 adventure sport-tourer, Triumph has revealed a new Triple-powered middleweight sportbike for 2024, the Triumph Daytona 660.
Related: 2022 Triumph Tiger Sport 660 | First Ride Review
At the unveiling of the Daytona 660, Alastair Fairgrieve, Triumph’s global product marketing manager, said the name was originally chosen to honor Buddy Elmore’s victory on a Triumph in the 1966 Daytona 200, where Elmore came from the 46th on the grid to win the race.
The name has appeared in various iterations of Triumph motorcycles over the subsequent years and returns in 2024 with the Daytona 660, which features a liquid-cooled 660cc inline-Triple with DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, and a 240-degree firing order. It makes a claimed 94 hp at 11,250 rpm (17% higher than the Trident 660), with redline at 12,650 rpm, and 51 lb-ft of torque at 8,250 rpm (9% more than the Trident), with more than 80% of the torque available from 3,125 rpm.
The bike has a 6-speed gearbox, throttle-by-wire, a slip/assist clutch, and 3-into-1 exhaust with a low stainless-steel silencer. Triumph’s Shift Assist is available as an accessory fit for clutchless up- and downshifts.
Stuart Wood, chief engineer of concept and electrical at Triumph, said the Dayton 660 is focused for “real-world use.”
“Everything we do inspires us,” Wood said. “(With) everything we do at the highest level … we’re learning, and we’re getting more into the engine. We’re looking for better economy, cleaner, and more performance all the time. And I think we’ve delivered fairly well on this one.”
See all of Rider‘s Triumph coverage here.
The Triumph Daytona 660 has three ride modes – Sport, Road and Rain – each offering a different throttle response and level of traction control intervention, with Sport mode geared toward more aggressive road riding or track sessions. The traction control system can be turned off for riders who prefer complete freedom from electronic intervention, and a new Emergency Deceleration Warning system activates the hazard lights to alert other drivers during heavy braking.
Stopping power comes from twin 4-piston radial calipers biting 310mm floating discs up front and a single-piston sliding caliper and 220 fixed disc in the rear. ABS is standard. An inverted nonadjustable Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork-Big Piston) fork provides 4.3 inches of travel, and a Showa rear monoshock offers 5.1 inches of travel and preload adjustability. When asked about the lack of adjustment on the front fork, Triumph Chief Product Officer Steve Sargent said that when supersport bikes evolved to become more track-focused, they became more tech- and spec-laden.
“The price point moved up to a point where the (middleweight) class really kind of disappeared because they got to a price point where they were not that far away from the cost of going to a larger capacity machine,” he said. “But they weren’t delivering the same kind of performance.”
Sargent said it became a question of delivering the balance between the specification and the price that a customer really wants.
“So that’s the way we’ve ended up with this bike,” he said. “We think this really hits the mark.”
Ergonomics also reflect the idea of “real-world use.” Clip-on bars are positioned above the top yoke, and footpegs have been moved slightly up and back for a balance of comfort and cornering clearance. Separate rider and passenger seats, with a rider seat height of 31.9 inches and a narrow stand-over make the Daytona 660 manageable for riders of all sizes, and an accessory low seat is also available, lowering the seat height almost an inch to 30.9 inches. The bike rides on five-spoke cast aluminum wheels wrapped in Michelin’s new Power 6 tires.
The Daytona 660 has twin LED headlights that incorporate a central air intake, as well as a contoured LED taillight. The bike has a color TFT screen integrated into a white-on-black LCD display that is compatible with the accessory fit My Triumph Connectivity System, which enables turn-by-turn navigation plus phone and music interaction.
The 2024 Triumph Daytona 660 will come in Carnival Red, Satin Granite, and Snowdonia White starting at $9,195, available in dealers in March 2024.
Check out more new bikes in Rider‘s 2024 Motorcycle Buyers Guide
The post 2024 Triumph Daytona 660 Review | First Look appeared first on Rider Magazine.
